Number lock



K. A. FRANZEN Dec. 9, 1969 NUMBER LOCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 1,196'? M, 78 PM INVENTOR K. A. FRANZEN Dec. 9, 1969 NUMBER LOCK 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 1, 1967 INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,482,421 NUMBER LOCK Karl August Franzen,Feuerbachstrasse 7, Solingen-Wald, Germany Filed Dec. 1, 1967, Ser. No.687,220 Claims priority, application Germany, Dec. 3, 1966,

Int. Cl. E0sb 65/50 US. CI. 70-74 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLQSURE Acombination lock, particularly for traveling articles, such as briefcases or luggage, which comprises a box including memb rs for securingthe lock to a fixed part of a traveling article and having an openinginto which the staple of a hasp secured to the closure of the travelingarticle is adapted to penetrate. A lock cover at least partly enclosingthe lock plate is provided and pivot means are mounted between the boxand the lock cover. At least one nut member is settable by a rotatablenumber disc and has a radial slot, so that upon a predetermined settingthe nut member assumes a position with the radial slot aligned with abolt slide tail, and rendering possible the Opening of the lock. Thepivot means comprises a screw having a head portion accessibly mountedin the lock cover, and the number disc is tightly pressed to the nutmember merely by friction.

The present invention relates to a number lock.

Number locks are known which are equipped with a hasp, as they are used,for instance, for luggage or similar containers.

These number locks are comparatively high and they are rather verycomplicated in their structure. Due to their height, in these locks theluggage material must be cut in for receiving the lock box. Due to thecomplicated structure, they are comparatively involved as to theiroperation.

It is one object of the present invention to provide a haspandnumber-lock, which is very fiat and, thus, has not to be inserted intothe valise wall, rather it is disposed on the valise wall, and which isextremely simple and safe in its operation as to its structure.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a hasp-lock,which comprises a bolt slide laterally projecting and pushable insideand securely held in the pushed-in position. This retained bolt slide isreleased upon insertion of a hasp, so that it jumps out from the lockbox.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a numberlock wherein a slide is equipped at one of its ends with two tails whichenter into a recess each in the pushed-in position of the bolt, whichrecesses are disposed on the bottom side of rotatable number discscoordinated to the tails, while upon closed hasp and thereby advancedlock bolt slide, the tails release the rotation of the discs.

If the hasp is closed, the discs can be moved, so that they can be movedto any selected number, which is, however not determined for the openingof the lock. Only the person who knows the predetermined number, atwhich the lock is to be opened, can turn then the disc into its rightposition, so that it is possible, to push backwardly the slide, so thatits tails enter the recesses of the discs and the hasp jumps up.

The recesses for each number disc are not disposed in the number discsthemselves, rather a nut equipped with a recess sits below the numberdisc, which nut is pressed towards the number disc by means of a screw,for which number disc a window is provided in the lock cover forrendering visible the numbers.

This screw serves also for the mounting of the number disc in the lowerlock box and in the box cover.

If the screw is highly loosened, which is possible without anydiificulty with the being open, other number combinations can be set.The screw heads, which are formed as cylinder heads, are disposed flushwith the lock cover.

With these and other objects in view which will become apparent in thefollowing detailed description, the present invention will be clearlyunderstood in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation, shown at its natural scale, of the numberlock;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the lock, at a natural scale;

FIG. 3 is an elevation of the number lock, however, shown at about adouble size scale, and the lock cover being removed for the purpose ofbetter demonstration.

FIG. 4 is a section along the lines 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a section along the lines 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is an elevation of the number lock, as disclosed in FIG. 3,however, in locked position, that means with pushed-in hasp; and

FIG. 7 is a section along the lines 7--7 of FIG. 6.

Referring now to the drawings, the lock comprises a lower box 1 and alock cover 2. The lock is covered up by a hasp 3, which is pivotallysecured to a fitting 4. This fitting 4 sits on the cover of the valisecontainer.

The hasp 3 carries an eye 5 which enters a slot 6 of the lock cover 2.

By this arrangement, the hasp 3 engages a spring 7 and pushes thisspring 7 downwardly. By this arrangement, a bolt slide 8 is released.The latter has namely on its bottom side a projection 9, which placesitself in front of the spring 7 and is released upon pushing downwardlythe spring 7.

If the bolt slide 8 is pushed into the lock box, this projection 9places itself again in front of the spring 7, so that the bolt slide 8cannot jump forward easily. Its jumping forward can take place only,when the hasp 3 is pushed down and releases the pin 9 from its arrestwith the spring 7.

In addition, the bolt slide 8 is under the eifect of a spring 10. Ithas, furthermore, the two tails 11 and 12, th ends of which enterrecesses 13 and 14, respectively, which are disposed each in a nut 15and 16, respectively, which are secured below the number discs 17 and 18by the screws 19 and 20.

The ends of the screws 19 and 20 form the bearing pins 21 and 22 for themounting of the two discs in the lower box 1 of the lock and thecylindrical heads 23 and 24 of the screws form the bearing points in thelock cover 2.

The periphery of the discs 17 and 18 is equipped with notches 25, inwhich the ends of the hair needle spring 26 enter.

In the hasp 3 and in the lock cover 2 aligned window recesses 27 areprovided. Always one number of the plurality of numbers provided on thedisc can be recognized through these windows.

The numbers rendered recognizable are the numbers at which the lock canbe opened.

The operation of the lock is as follows:

Starting from the position disclosed in FIG. 3, it is apparent that thelock can be opened at the position of the number 75. It now the hasp ispushed in, the bolt slide jumps forward and the tails 11 and 12 escapefrom the recesses. Now the discs can be selectively adjusted, inparticular, for instance, to the number 24. Upon such adjustment,however, the recesses 13 and 14 have been displaced also, so that thetails cannot be pushed backward any more with the bolt slide. The lockcannot be opened any more.

' If now the correct number 75 is set, the recesses 13 and 14 receiveagaintheir correct position, so that the bolt slide can be pushedbackwardly. It catches itself then behind the spring 7. Since the haspis freed and is open, respectively, the lock can be opened.

Aside from the low lock box and the simple structure, it must be stillemphasized that a very slight mounting labor is required, and also theadjustability is extremely simple and safe.

It is,. of course, also possible, to build the entire lock fittings notin the lower box,". but in the hasp.

While I have disclosed one embodiment of the present invention, it is tobe understood that this embodiment is given by example only and not in alimiting sense.

I claim:

1'. A combination lock, particularly for traveling articles such asbrief cases or luggage, comprising a box including members for securingthe lock to a fixed part of a traveling article and having an openinginto which the staple of a hasp secured to the closure of said travelingarticle is adapted to penetrate, a lock cover at least partly enclosingsaid lock box, an elongated reciprocating spring biased bolt slidemounted in said box, with one end of said slide extending outwardly ofsaid box and the other end having at least one tail, said slide havingan inner and outer position with respect to said box when reciprocated,a screw member having a head portion accessibly mounted in said lockcover and threadably engaging said box, the shank of said screwrotatably mounting between the box and the cover in coaxial relationshipa number disc and a radially slotted nut member positioned behind saidnumber disc and frictionally engaged therewith to rotate simultaneously,said number disc when given a predetermined setting aligning said bolttail with said radial slot when said bolt slide is in said inner positonand per- 3 said spring member and releasing said bolt slide permittingits movement to said outer position.

3. The combination. lock, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said nutmember comprises a disc-like flat nut.

4. The combination lock, as set forth in claim 1, wherein saidnumbering-disc projects laterally from said box, a hair needlespringdisposed adjacent said numbering disc, and said numbering disc hasat its periphery a plurality of notches engaged by. said hair needlespring. 5. The combination lock, as set forth in claim 4, wherein saidhasp covers said head portion of said screw, and said hasp as well assaid lock cover have aligned window recesses. 6. The combination lock,as set forth in claim 1, wherein the end of said screw entering said boxconstitutes a bearing pin for said number disc, and said head portion ofsaid screw projects through said lock cover and is disposed flush withthe outer face of said lock cover.

I References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 636,882 11/1899 ,Zoeller 3041,656,882 1/1928 Wildrick 703l2 1,694,795 12/1928 Recker 70 -672,565,825 8/1951 Redmond 70-74 X 3,053,071 9/1962 Badoud 70-74 FOREIGNPATENTS 685,096 12/ 1952 Great Britain.

MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner EDWARD J. McCART HY, AssistantExaminer U.S. C1.X.R. 705

